Defense may be turning the corner!

[kf3339]

Our pass rush is getting more consistent and tackling ng was better. Still a few issues with our corners, but getting Griffen and Dunbar should help.

Dunbar is starting to impact the game. Also Collier is coming on as well. I'm really excited to see even more improvement going forward.

 

[bigskydoc]

The defense has been out of sync, in the same way that Russ has been off for the last couple of games, but they have been making small, noticeable improvements.

It really came together tonight for the first time, but one could see snippets of this defense as it was building up to what will be a solid defense come the playoffs.

The Seahawks still will go as Russ goes, but by the end of the season, he won't need to be all-time great in every game for us to win. We won't lose another regular season game.

 

[timmat]

I’m convinced a lot of this is scheme and not personnel. You can’t combine a blitz with DBs 5 to 7 yds off WRs. It defeats the purpose of the blitz - which isn’t always to get a sack, but to force the QB into a quick throwing decision. So much cushion when we blitz just gives the QB an out, and defeats the purpose in my opinion.

So happy to see that stop to end the game. But by allowing long, 11 to 15 play drives over and over, it kills our opportunity for offensive possession. Play tighter coverage and yes - you’ll get beat deep sometimes. But that’s OK actually sometimes if it’s a sign of aggression in D play calling. Get your O back on the field.

 

[Polk738]

Dunbar is going to IR which I'm not that upset about as I think DJ Reed has been playing better anyway, the pass rush seems much improved over the shit show it was in the beginning of the year- KJ Wright needs to stop blitzing as I feel like it's always a disaster waiting to happen, Jamal Adams blew another assignment.....again, to Chase Edmonds when it looked like half the defense was in Murray's face JA still felt the need to come after him and leave the end zone wide open. Carlos Dunlap has already earned his keep for this team great midseason trade by JS, great play by LJ Collier on Sweezy (ironic isn't it?) he seems more comfortable at that 5 tech than on the edge from what I see.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

You mean the same Defense that gets blasted 734 times a day?
The one who was supposed to give up 50 to the Cards??
This was their best performance of the year, period. But hey, keep acting like they are not capable of playing better.
Well, they just held the top offense in the league to 21 points. And after a LOT of crap calls by the refs kept them in it.
Hawks were the better team tonight.
Major props to the Cards though, really tough team. Feels like these teams are dead even right now.

 

[jammerhawk]

They are still playing soft zone and off coverage so much that frustratingly a 3rd and short is always an automatic 1st down. That grumble out there they played well when it counted.

All in all they are playing better and tackling better. Before long the troops will return and the team will get healthy for the stretch drive. Sure like Carlos Dunlap and his edge rush skill.

Thought it was a dirty tackle on Lockett and was happy to see met calf making that point to the Cardinals.

The better team won tonight.

 

[zchurch74]

Anyone else notice a change in Flowers footwork? I really think they have been coaching him up the last few weeks. Played much better. His stance and first step was so much better tonight. His field awareness seemed heightened.

 

[hawks85]

I am convinced that the defensive play calling was done by Pete. No way in hell this was a Norton defensive game plan. No way in hell a light bulb lit in this guy's head. We played good D tonight, and I have been shitting on this D all season.

 

[bigskydoc]

I know we aren't a press man defense anymore, but the 15 yard cushion scheme is driving me crazy.

I remember one sequence where there was a 15 yard cushion, and, out of the corner of my eye, I saw the CB still turn around with his back to the QB at the snap, and start running downfield.

Outside of this scheme, I'm pretty happy with the defense as I think it is going to be by season's end.

 

[mistaowen]

Press coverage still needs to be better and used more. Throwing off routes is so important to slow down these quick hitting college style offenses coming to the league. Just no reason to have these 10-15 yard cushions.

That said, defense was so much more disciplined last night. Only a handful of miscommunications or zone failures. Pretty good pressure with front 4. DL, LB and Adams were terrific in containment of Kyler. Limited the (arguably) best WR in the league to 50 yards. Run D may actually be legit as well, not just because the pass D was so terrible teams didn't try running.

Honestly, all this team needs is average defense to contend for the SB. 21-24 points per game should be good enough, especially if Carson can stay healthy and the offense can have some TOP balance.

 

[Appyhawk]

They are still playing soft zone and off coverage so much that frustratingly a 3rd and short is always an automatic 1st down. That grumble out there they played well when it counted.

All in all they are playing better and tackling better. Before long the troops will return and the team will get healthy for the stretch drive. Sure like Carlos Dunlap and his edge rush skill.

Thought it was a dirty tackle on Lockett and was happy to see met calf making that point to the Cardinals.

The better team won tonight.

Good point on tackling better. I thought our tackling last night was easily the best we've done this year.

 

[hoxrox]

Pete mentioned in a presser that they saw something on film from the previous Cards game, and that they would make adjustments. Those adjustments worked.

 

[bigskydoc]

Now if we could just make those same recognitions and adjustments IN GAME.

 

[hawk45]

Pete mentioned in a presser that they saw something on film from the previous Cards game, and that they would make adjustments. Those adjustments worked.

Interesting, but it felt like more than any tactical adjustment, overall the D communicated better, played more assignment correct, and was generally more aggressive in coverage, with the 15 yard cushions being far less prevalent. Those types of adjustments are ones I hope aren’t limited to the cardinals going forward.

Flowers also had his best game all season in coverage. Can’t say enough about his effort against the very toughest of assignments. I’ll take a few missed tackles all day in trade for putting their number one WR in witsec.

 

[bmorepunk]

There are four weeks of bad offenses coming up, two of which are ridiculously bad.

I'm hoping the defense can make gains against them and beat them up. It would be super nice if they could hold at least one of these teams to under 20 points, especially since only one of them even averages more than that.

 

[TugHawk]

Really liked what the defense showed us last night - even more encouraging that it was able to do what it did without Shaq and Dunbar.

Still saw some communication breakdowns, but not to the same extent that we had seen in prior weeks. I know that this has been a major topic this year when it comes to the secondary. I increasingly think the communication issues are on Quandre Diggs. There were a few times during the game where Diggs seemed to not understand assignment, and it looked like Jamal and a few others corrected him on a number of occasions. Just an observation, and maybe I'm way off, but it was something I noticed.

Perhaps it was why we weren't seeing some of the same flashes from Q. Diggs in prior games this season that we saw from him last year. He made some awesome plays tonight, and I hope we get that level of play from him for the rest of the season. Love the hit he dropped on their TE. Would have loved to see him chest up with Deandre Flopkins after he shoulder checked him when the play was over.

 

[toffee]

A few thoughts:

1. Pete is calling more plays.
2. Norton might have given the players too much freedom on field, it changed a bit with Pete calling more plays.
3. The improved plays of our DE, Collier is improving slowly but surely.
4. Young bloods are getting .ore involved.

Hopefully they could consistently limit opponents' scoring to around 20 come playoff time.



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